Nightclub war hots up: Police arrest three and seize gun

The shooting of two patrons at a popular Cape Town nightclub has fuelled fears that a war for control of clubs' security is becoming deadly and may be spreading.

Three men were arrested early yesterday morning after they walked into Camps Bay's Cafe Caprice club and opened fire, wounding two people.

Organised crime expert Chad Thomas of IRS Forensic Investigations said Cape Town's nightclub security turf war was a result of the vacuum left by the deaths of two major criminal underworld players.

"Although it is 10 years since the murder of Yuri 'The Russian' Ulianitski and six years since the murder of Cyril Beeka, both deaths have left a void that has not been completely filled.

"Ulianitski and Beeka were feared by their rivals. No one has been able to control the underworld effectively or maintain peace among the rival gangs seeking to control Cape Town since their deaths," he said.

Private investigator Mike Bolhuis said running security at nightclubs was a lucrative business that involved criminals from all over the world.

"A lot of these guys come from overseas. South Africa is a good place to hide because of corruption and corrupt officials."

Bolhuis said gangs involved in nightclub security were spread across the country.

"I predict that, unless there is serious intervention from the police, this won't stop. There will be murders. There will be only one winner in this."

Police spokesman FC van Wyk said one of the victims was shot in the stomach and the other was wounded in the arm.

He said police officers arrested three suspects and seized a VW Vivo and a firearm.

"The suspects will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court soon on charges of attempted murder," he said.

Van Wyk said detectives were investigating to see if the shooting was linked to the current nightclub security turf war.

A senior Cape Town city official said that businessmen with links to Beeka and Ulianitski were believed to be linked to the war for control of the city's nightclubs.

City of Cape Town safety and security MMC JP Smith said he had written to the safety and security MEC Dan Plato to call for legislation to enable metro police to conduct investigations into companies that provide security at Cape Town's nightclubs.